Council OKs step to design new police headquarters

FRONT ROYAL – Town Council gave an architectural firm the green light to finish its design of a new police department headquarters.

Council voted 3-1 at its meeting Monday to authorize Town Manager Steve Burke to give notice to Moseley Architects to complete the construction documents for the new police headquarters. Councilwoman Bébhinn Egger voted against the motion, noting that the total cost estimate for the project runs at $9.3 million. Vice Mayor Hollis Tharpe and Councilman Eugene Tewalt did not attend the meeting.

Moseley Architects recently presented the results of their final design for the project to council. The town intends to build the headquarters on property at Monroe Avenue and Kendrick Lane. Moseley estimated the construction cost at $7.04 million. The $9.3 million total project estimate includes about $1 million to cover contingencies or unexpected costs incurred during the construction.

Council’s action allows the designer to move forward with developing construction documents the town would use for bidding the project. The town could advertise in February for bids from firms interested in building the project, depending on the review of the site plan by the Department of Environmental Quality.

Also at the meeting, council:

• Approved a license agreement with Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, 18 W. 6th Street, for a right-of-way encroachment of their sign installed in front of the church. The sign originally was installed without permits and was not in compliance with town code. The license agreement allows the sign to remain in its current location for five years.
• Approved a resolution establishing the 2016 Holiday Home Decorating Contest
• Approved a request by Puja Properties LLC for relief from the water meter tampering fee charged on property at 840 John Marshall Highway. The motion also calls for council to authorize the town to repay $1,023.75 to Puja Properties. A tenant contacted the Department of Environmental Services on Aug. 1 to turn off water service to the building because of a water leak in need of repair. Town staff told the tenant that the town would need to be contacted to restore water service. Upon re-inspection of the meter on Aug. 2, staff found that service had been turned on without contacting the town. Puja Properties paid the tampering fee then asked council for a refund claiming they had no knowledge of the situation.
• Approved the fiscal 2018 budget calendar
• Approved a bid for de-icing salt for the 2016-2017 winter season through April 30 from Cargill Inc. at a cost of $74.38 per ton at an estimated amount of up to 2,500 tons
• Recommended that a Warren County Circuit Court judge appoint Ronald Flores to the Board of Zoning Appeals to fill an unexpired term that ends May 1, 2018